No clear roadmap over contentious expressway

The much touted Salem-Chennai Green Expressway was planned as a game changer in the state by the Union government as part of the bigger Bharatmala Pariyojana Project, but it faced so much of opposition from local residents that it became a key election issue and was stayed by the Madras High Court following a petition.

However, the Union government does not seem to be backing down on the ambitious 277.3 km six-lane project estimated to cost Rs 7,210 crore. The project is on hold now, but Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, in one of the public rallies in the state in the run- up to the Lok Sabha elections, vowed to push for taking up the project and completing it.

The project has witnessed a heated debate in the media and drawn the ire of local residents and environmental groups. The NDA government is optimistic that the stay would be vacated soon and the project completed as expected with the state government’s support. There are debates on whether the project is useful or detrimental to the interests of the people, but the Centre believes that it is necessary for development and it would facilitate setting up of industry and provide employment along the corridor.

The Salem-Chennai Green Expressway was originally planned as an eight-lane highway but has now been reduced to six-lane. The land required for the project has come down to 1,900 hectares from 2,791 hectares. The project cost too has come down to Rs 7,210 crore from Rs 10,000 crore.

It is said that the expressway project was designed to facilitate hassle-free traffic for vehicles to reach the proposed arms manufacturing unit for the Indian Army in Salem. Also, it is said that the expressway will help ease transport of rare minerals, found in the hillocks, which can be exported to foreign countries.

The proposed expressway starts at Vandalur near Chennai and ends at Ariyanur near Salem. It is said that the new route reduces the existing road distance by 50 to 70 km. The time taken to travel the distance will come down by one to two hours.

The state government has planned to lay three new roads to connect the expressway with other places. It will provide hassle-free connectivity to people from small towns to the expressway. The new roads are proposed between Chengalpattu – Kancheepuram, Polur – Tiruvannamalai and Chetpet - Semmangudi

The state government has earmarked 642 acres for the purpose. Contrary to government’s claims, there is widespread opposition to the project.

Of the 1,900 hectares, 50 ha come under forest land, 400 ha are agricultural fields, 400 ha are poromboke land (wasteland) and 1,100 ha are residential and agricultural land. In all, 14 taluks, including 159 villages and 10,000 to 12,000 families are expected to be affected because of the project. The expressway runs through Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Salem districts.

The hillocks affected by the proposed project, include Jarugumalai, Javvadhumalai, Kavundhimalai, Servarayanmalai, Aranootrumalai and Periyakalrayanmalai. Especially, Jarugumalai will be drilled at three points to facilitate the expressway. Along with it, water bodies, including small rivers, numerous ponds and tanks, will also be affected, say local residents.

To make this project a reality, numerous plantain, mango, coconut and betel nut trees, sugarcane, paddy and food grains will have to be sacrificed. Production of jasmine and oleander flowers will get affected,they feel.

As the project passes through reserve forest areas, forest life and precious herbal plants and thousands of trees will be destroyed and that will have a cascading effect on environment, they warn.

The demand for such a road did not come from the people as there are already three routes to Chennai.

Many environmental enthusiasts feel expansion of existing routes would be enough. Also, it is alleged that no local consultation was conducted for the preparation of either the feasibility report or the land acquisition report. This is in violation of mandatory procedure. However, the consulting firm claims to have completed public consultation.

Apart from the existing routes of Chennai-Kancheepuram-Vellore-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Salem of 352 km, another route covering the same towns of 331.9 km and Chennai-Villupuram-Salem route of 334.3 km, there are two rail routes and eight trains that ply between Chennai and Salem.

On November 1, 2007, Lalu Prasad Yadav, the then Railway Minister, declared that the Salem-Vriddachalam-Egmore rail link would be converted into broadguage and made ‘freight corridor’ for better freight transport. His promise is yet to see the light of day. The government could have implemented this project first, instead of the expressway, say experts.